VASCO: To grab the attention of the government to the issue of bifurcation of Cortalim-Quelossim Panchayat into two separate villages, the panchayat body has decided to observe one day hunger strike on November 8.
The decision was taken at the panchayat meeting on Friday, where all the members present for the meeting unanimously resolved to hold a hunger strike demanding immediate disposal of the issue by the government.
According to Sarpanch Hilario Figuereido, the demand for separate Panchayat identity to Quelossim village, having 80 percent villagers from ST community, has been prolonging since last ten years and during every gram sabha the villagers have been questioning the panchayat on the status of the file pertaining to bifurcation and how fast the demand would be met.
However, expect for giving assurance on behalf of the government that the file is under consideration, the panchayat had no other explanations, he informed.
Although six resolutions have been passed till date supporting the demand for separate panchayat identity to Quelossim, the government has not taken the same seriously, he said.
“Besides passing gram sabha resolutions, we have also tried our level best to approach all the ministers concerned as well as the MLAs demanding the bifurcation of the village. However, except for holding few meetings with the ministers and MLAs, we haven’t got any concrete reply on when our demand would be fulfilled and how long this would take,” Figuereido said.
“Thus, as a last resort the panchayat will hold a hunger strike on November 8, and we hope that the government respects the sentiments of the villagers. We would be also inviting the villagers to join us in our hunger strike to put pressure on the government,” Figuereido informed.
He further said that the intension behind the demand for separate panchayat status to Quelossim is that the villagers want to preserve the identity of the village.
“Also with regards to the development, Quelossim is backward as compared to Cortalim. Once the demand is fulfilled, then, development in Quelossim would be taken up as an independent village. Presently, Quelossim is an independent revenue village fulfilling all the conditions for a separate panchayat such as population, number of voters, area, total number of houses, income and industrial grants,” he added.
